Electrical Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (B.S.E.E.)

Program Overview

The Electrical Engineering Programs at Arkansas State University are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

The A-State EE program is a strong and growing component of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and has made major strides in development since its inception in 1982. The program offers a full and diverse undergraduate curriculum in both lecture and well-equipped laboratory courses, and is heavily committed to the total education, scholarship, and success of all of its students, and service to other constituents.

Faculty and Student Interaction

The EE Program consists of four Ph.D. professors and approximately 50-75 students, both domestic and international, who work together in a cordial atmosphere conducive to excellence in education and scholarship. Class enrollments are usually in the range of 10-25 students, with laboratory course enrollments usually less than 20. These small classes promote frequent, direct interaction between professors and students, greatly enhancing the learning process.

Laboratory courses in several electrical engineering areas provide intensive experience in experiment/data design, methodology, measurement, analysis, and communication. Students receive design experience not only through EE courses, but also through multidisciplinary Senior Design I and II courses required for all engineering majors.

The EE program and college are also committed to preparing students for eventual licensing as Professional Engineers, and require students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination during their senior year as the first step in the process. Most of the engineering faculty are themselves licensed Professional Engineers.

The EE program offers undergraduate research and scholarship opportunities in fields such as semiconductor materials and devices, electromagnetics, electrical power, and electrical machinery. Some of the faculty members are also associated with the multidisciplinary A-State graduate program in Environmental Sciences and direct graduate students in that program.

Student research experience has been invaluable in augmenting students’ total education and preparing them for graduate education and/or career success. For example, our Optoelectronic Materials Research Laboratory has utilized over sixty undergraduate research assistants since 1983, with many of these also serving as co-authors on journal publications and conference presentations, being recipients of student research funding, for example, Arkansas Scholars’ Undergraduate Research Fellowships, and winning various student paper/presentation competitions, for example, those sponsored by the Arkansas Academy of Science at its annual conferences. Several of these have gone-on to obtain graduate degrees at prestigious universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Texas A & M University, Purdue University, the University of Colorado-Boulder, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, the University of Missouri-Rolla, and the University of Arkansas.

In addition to basic research, which has been funded by agencies including the National Institutes of Heath, the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, and the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority, ASU EE faculty also actively participate in applied research and engineering consulting as a service to regional businesses, industries, utilities, and professionals. Engineering students sometimes also participate in these applied projects and sometimes even earn course credit for such activities through Special Problems in Electrical Engineering, Student Research in Electrical Engineering, and Engineering Internship courses. These projects have covered a variety of topics including product development, process analysis, engineering measurements, accident investigations, and intellectual property documentation. The faculty have also collaborated with other ASU academic and research programs, for example, the Department of Chemistry and Physics, the College of Agriculture, and the Environmental Sciences Program, and faculty at other universities in joint research, for example, under the Arkansas NASA and EPA EPSCOR programs.

As does the entire College of Engineering, the Electrical Engineering Program has a mechanism in place to periodically assess its effectiveness in meeting its educational objectives and student learning outcomes (see below). This assessment process results in periodic modification to specific courses and the overall degree plan so as to better promote the achievement of the objectives and outcomes, themselves periodically formulated and revised, with the assistance of the Electrical Engineering Advisory Council, in relation to the evolving mission and resource base of the Program. This occurs within the context of the evolving needs of the region and nation, and the current state-of-the profession.

The specific educational objectives of the BSEE degree program are:

Graduates have successfully advanced in electrical/computer engineering or related relevant practice as evidenced by contributions to their employers and the greater professional community.

Graduates have pursued graduate degrees or completed professional development activities in continuing to advance their knowledge base in electrical engineering or related professional fields.

Graduates have made a broader contribution by providing an engineering or otherwise technical or objective perspective to the challenges and opportunities of society.

The Electrical Engineering Program’s outcomes define the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that program graduates are expected to have by the time of graduation from the Program.

The Student Outcomes for each of the Arkansas State University undergraduate engineering programs are:

An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;

An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;

An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams;

An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;

An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;

An ability to communicate effectively;

The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;

A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning;

A knowledge of contemporary issues;

An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice; and

An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.

The EE program has a broad alumni base, with graduates holding engineering positions in industry, utilities, academia, government, management, research and development, marketing, and consulting. This growing alumni base is a strong supporter of the EE Program in a variety of ways, including making donations, and serving as seminar speakers, members of the college’s and EE Program's engineering advisory councils, and employers and industrial internship sponsors for our students.

The opportunities for additional growth, development, and service are exciting. The entire college is committed to excellence in engineering education, and the broader development and welfare of its students and other constituents. We are confident that prospective students will be delighted with the student-focused environment and total educational experience that we offer, and welcome inquiries, visits, and comments.

Please let us know if we can be of assistance with your educational goals, with your research or consultant needs, or in any other way.

MORE INFORMATION

If you wish to learn more about our Electrical Engineering program at ASU, we encourage you to setup a campus visit. Do not hesitate to contact Dr. Skher at skher@astate.edu or by phone at 870-972-3224 if you have any questions or to arrange a visit.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

The EE Program sponsors an active student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Associated social, educational, competitive, and fund raising activities provide students a broad perspective on the profession, and opportunities for teamwork, leadership, and service. Other engineering society student branches at A-State of interest to electrical engineering majors include the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers.

All undergraduate engineering programs (civil, electrical, mechanical, and general) are accredited by ABET, an organization that accredits university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.